Start, stop and destroy
The three actions
| Action | Offered when the instance is | What it does | Usually takes | Reversible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop | running | shuts the container down, keeps the disk, holds the GPU slot | a few seconds | yes, with Start |
| Start | stopped | brings the same container back up on the same machine and disk | a few seconds | yes, with Stop |
| Destroy | running, stopped or error | removes the container, deletes the disk, returns the GPU to the marketplace | a few seconds | no |
Read Stop vs destroy before you use the third one. It is the decision that determines whether you keep your data and whether you keep paying, and it is not repeated here.
Where the buttons are
Every row in Instances carries the actions that apply to that instance's current state, and the same set appears in the header of the instance detail page. Buttons that do not apply are not shown — there is no Start on a running instance and no Stop on a stopped one.
Destroy asks for confirmation first, in a dialog that spells out what is about to be deleted. Nothing else asks twice.
What happens after you click
None of the three is instant. The instance moves into a transitional state, the badge pulses, and the console polls until the machine reports back:
| You clicked | State while it works | State when it lands |
|---|---|---|
| Stop | stopping | stopped |
| Start | starting | running |
| Destroy | destroying | destroyed |
While an instance is in a transitional state it accepts no further actions. Asking for one anyway returns 409 INVALID_STATE with a message naming the state that blocked it, for example Cannot stop an instance while it is creating. Wait for the transition to land and try again. The full map of which state can move where is in Instance states.
Starting again
A start needs credits. If your organization's balance is zero or below, the start is refused with 402 INSUFFICIENT_BALANCE and nothing happens to the instance — add credits first. Storage charges that accrued while the instance sat stopped are settled at the moment you start it, so the balance you see afterwards accounts for the whole stopped period.
A start puts you back on the same machine with the same disk. Connection details are reissued, though, so re-copy the SSH command rather than reusing the old one. See Connect over SSH.
An instance in error
An instance that failed to come up lands in error. It cannot be started, and it cannot be stopped. The only action available is Destroy. Read the logs to find out what went wrong, then destroy it and deploy again.
Over the API
These examples use $SUPERHEAT_API and $SUPERHEAT_KEY — set them as shown in the
API overview.
curl -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SUPERHEAT_KEY" \
$SUPERHEAT_API/v1/instances/$INSTANCE_ID/stop
curl -X POST -H "Authorization: Bearer $SUPERHEAT_KEY" \
$SUPERHEAT_API/v1/instances/$INSTANCE_ID/start
curl -X DELETE -H "Authorization: Bearer $SUPERHEAT_KEY" \
$SUPERHEAT_API/v1/instances/$INSTANCE_ID
Each returns the instance in its new transitional state. Poll GET /v1/instances/{id} to watch it land. See Instances.
Actions the platform takes for you
Two of these three run on their own when an organization runs out of money:
| Balance | What happens |
|---|---|
| reaches $0 | running instances are stopped; disks are kept |
| reaches −$5 | instances are destroyed; disks are deleted |
See Auto-stop and auto-destroy.